Darius Perry, a 6-foot-2 point guard who is ranked No. 48

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Claressa Shields won a gold medal as the most dominant fighter in London at the first Olympic womens boxing tournament. After reigning atop the amateur sport for the ensuing three years, the ferocious American middleweight was favored to win gold again in Rio de Janeiro.And here came this Irish boxing coach trying to change her game.Oh, we clashed heads quite a bit in the first few months, Billy Walsh said with a grin. It came to the stage where she was going or I was going.Shields also smiles at the memory of her introduction to Walsh, the respected amateur coach who took over the U.S. boxing team late last year. The fearsome puncher from hardscrabble Flint, Michigan, and the soft-spoken ex-Olympic fighter from County Wexford disagreed over everything from training methods to their relationship in the corner.They fought through it all to form a bond theyve carried into Brazil.He understands me as a fighter, and Im pretty different from all the other fighters, Shields said after a recent workout with Walsh at the Olympic Training Center. I used to tell him, `You want me to win an Olympic gold medal, just let me do what I do, OK? But then he taught me a lot of things, and Im teaching him a little bit.Walsh is the womens head coach for USA Boxing, but he essentially is in charge of the entire eight-person Olympic team. Shields success in London, along with the cachet of womens boxing in general, allowed the once-beleaguered organization to attract funding to hire the elite coach who built Irelands remarkable amateur program.But no U.S. amateur is more important than Shields, who built on her teenage dominance in London with two world championships and a Pan-Am Games gold. Now a smooth 21-year-old team leader with major endorsement deals, Shields was understandably resistant to alterations in her winning formula when Walsh arrived in Colorado Springs.I had to explain to her I wasnt trying to change her, Walsh said. What I said to her was, `What you did in London wont be good enough in Rio. Everybody has been watching you, studying you, getting better to beat you. Weve got to keep ahead of the posse. So the tools Im giving you are to make you better, so you can fight any girl at any distance in any situation.Their disagreements occurred in several areas, including their training philosophies. Shields has precise standards for her own daily workouts, and she often does extra work after practice when she doesnt feel tired enough. When Walsh tried to give her a morning off, she would show up anyway.Walsh also wanted Shields to learn different fighting strategies, particularly in case she needed to change her strategy late in close bouts -- something Shields hasnt experienced much in her career.Their initial interactions were perplexing for Shields, who had recently split with Jason Crutchfield, her longtime personal coach in Michigan.She recalls being surprised by Walshs screaming from the corner in the first round of their first fight together: Why do you have your hands down? Put your hands up!I have to come back to the corner, and hes like, `That was a very close round, Shields added. And Im like, `No, I won that round clearly. He wasnt used to being in my corner. Its different. So then when I won (the fight) 3-0, I said, `Coach Billy, we have to sit and watch the fight together. We sit and watch, and I said, `What was close about that? Listen, whatever you tell me to do in the corner, Im going to do, but youve got to be calm. Dont be freaking out in the corner.According to Walsh, the conflict culminated shortly before Christmas.I said, `You go home and think about it, OK? Walsh recalled. `Im going to be here until 2020. Youre going to be here for a few months. Ive got to implement the program. I want you a part of it, but here are my rules and regulations. This is what we need to be doing. So she went home, had a good think about it, came back in, and we started all over again.With Shields living in Colorado Springs over the next six months, they gradually developed the shorthand necessary for fighters and trainers to communicate. They also got to know each other outside the ring after Walsh learned about the tragic dimensions of Shields difficult upbringing from watching a documentary about her life that describes her fathers imprisonment and her mothers struggles with addiction.I went to see it and I said, `Wow, Walsh said of the film. I began to find out how she lived. Sometimes you can say things that might not be inappropriate, but could be pushing someone in the wrong way when its a very sensitive area. I had to learn on my feet.Walshs connection with Shields now appears strong, and they banter after workouts with the familiarity of old friends.When they come together in the corner in Rio, the coach and the fighter are confident they share the language to win gold again.I wasnt sure if I was going to win the battle, Walsh said. Some days I still struggle with her to win the battle, but weve been getting there and working well. Shes a different person than when I got her. 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Darius Perry, a 6-foot-2 point guard who is ranked No. 48 in the ESPN 100,?has committed to Louisville.Perry, who is from Wheeler High School in Georgia, chose the Cardinals over in-state Georgia, after taking official visits to both programs in the past two weeks.I chose Louisville because I enjoyed the practice I watched, Perry told ESPN.com. I like the way [Rick] Pitino coaches and orchestrates his team, and the family-oriented environment was a great feeling.Perry had a strong spring session for Game Elite on the Adidas Gauntlet circuit, averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from 3-point range.I feel like I can make a great impact on the team, and I hope to come in and do so, Perry said. They have a great team and staff, and I hope to add to that.ddddddddddddPitino is a great coach, and under his wing I feel like I can become a really good player.Perry wasnt offered by Louisville until June, but he quickly became one of the top point-guard targets on Louisvilles board. Pitino watched him during the first July live period, and an official visit was scheduled shortly after.Perry becomes Louisvilles second 2017 commitment, joining No. 42-ranked Malik Williams, who committed earlier this month. With a point guard and versatile frontcourt player now in the fold, Pitino can focus on scoring.?Brandon Randolph?and Alex OConnell are among the top targets for the Cardinals on the wings. ' ' '